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Thinking Routines

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Visible Thinking is a flexible and systematic research-based conceptual framework, which aims to integrate the development of students' thinking with content learning across subject matters.

Visible Thinking began as an initiative to develop a research-based approach to teaching thinking dispositions. The approach emphasized three core practices: thinking routines, the documentation of student thinking, and reflective professional practice. It was originally developed at Lemshaga Akademi in Sweden as part of the Innovating with Intelligence project, and focused on developing students' thinking dispositions in such areas as truth-seeking, understanding, fairness, and imagination. It has since expanded its focus to include an emphasis on thinking through art and the role of cultural forces and has informed the development of other Project Zero Visible Thinking initiatives, including Artful Thinking, and Cultures of Thinking.

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Visible Thinking is a flexible and systematic research-based conceptual framework, which aims to integrate the development of students' thinking with content learning across subject matters. Visible Thinking began as an initiative to develop a research-based approach to teaching thinking dispositions. The approach emphasized three core practices: thinking routines, the documentation of student thinking, and reflective professional practice.

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HS Math Metacognitive Strategy Example

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Executive function is a set of mental skills that act as a command center in the brain. They help us plan, manage time, control emotions, and get tasks done. They're also important for staying focused and solving problems. So struggling with executive function can have a big impact on kids.

Trouble with executive skills is common in kids who learn and think differently. And all kids with ADHD struggle with it.

Executive function skills develop over time, and at different rates. So it can be hard to tell if what you're seeing is something to be concerned about or if it's common for a child's age group.

For example, lots of middle-schoolers are overdramatic. And lots of high-schoolers have trouble managing time when there's so much on their plate.

It really depends on if the things you're seeing keep causing problems. This list can help you spot trouble with executive function in kids.

Trouble with executive function in preschool

Gets frustrated easily, might throw things instead of asking for help

Has trouble following directions and often forgets what to do

Has lots of tantrums over things that seem minor

Acts out instead of expressing feelings

Struggles with basic classroom tasks like finding things in a cubby or packing up at the end of the day

Raises hand but doesn't remember the answer when called on

Is very stubborn about doing things a certain way

Answers questions in a way that's off-topic

Trouble with executive function in grade school

Starts a task and gets distracted, then doesn't finish

Can solve a math problem one way but gets stuck when asked to solve it a different way

Focuses on the least important thing you said

Mixes up assignments and doesn't bring home the right books and handouts needed for homework

Has a messy desk and backpack

Panics when rules or routines change, like going out to dinner instead of ordering in because it's Friday and that's pizza night

Sticks with a plan even when it's clear that the plan isn't working

Trouble with executive function in middle school

Wants to invite kids over but never gets around to scheduling it

Hesitates to make afterschool plans and instead just follows what the other kids are doing

Is still arranging materials in science lab while the other kids are halfway through the experiment

Has a hard time starting a big assignment and focuses on the less important details first

Gets very upset about seemingly small things, like running out of a favorite snack at home

Often thinks the teacher is being "unfair," like when told to do work at home that other kids finished in class

Trouble with executive function in high school

Has trouble finishing short-answer tests on time

Loses track of time and is often still "in the middle of something"

Hasn't filled out any of the job applications that have been sitting around for a month

Tries to convince you to extend curfew but can't give any good reasons why

Has trouble working in groups and complains about the other kids

Has a hard time taking and acting on feedback

Is impulsive and takes lots of risks

Parents and caregivers: If you're noticing lots of these behaviors, you might want to learn more about ADHD. An ADHD evaluation can help you understand what's going on. You can also request a free school evaluation to get a better sense of your child's strengths and challenges.

There are lots of ways to help with executive function at home, too. Here are strategies you can try.

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Trouble with executive function at different ages

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Trouble with executive function skills can be tricky to spot. Use this checklist to see signs of executive functioning issues in kids.

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What are executive functioning skills? What are examples of executive function skills? Learn about different executive skills, and the three areas of executive function.

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5 common myths about executive function challenges

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There are many misconceptions about executive function challenges, including whether executive function challenges are real. Here are five myths about executive function and the facts to debunk them.

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The Direction of Reflection: A Visual Tool for Checking In on Myself

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Checking in on ourselves is just part of being human. In fact, reflecting on how we’re feeling, what we’re thinking, and what we need, is often times the fuel that ignites our decisions about what we do or say (or not do or say) to meet our own goals for the situation. If we are checking in on ourselves, we can figure out if we need (or want) help from others. It can also encourage us to think about our choices, advocate for ourselves, or make a little more time to refuel.

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Support EF_SR to Engage Today's Learners Choice Board 2024

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Encouraging students to set goals for themselves-the first phase of self-regulated learning-helps them develop a growth mindset.

"Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible." -Tony Robbins

Many students may not necessarily have the tools to set academic goals and lack strategies to enact change and work toward those goals. Teachers can provide structure to help students set academic goals that are realistic and appropriate as well as achievable. It is important to note that goal setting is not just an activity for the beginning of the school year, but an ongoing process.

It personalizes the learning process based on their needs.

It creates intention and motivation that empowers students.

It establishes accountability to shift responsibility to students.

It provides a foundation for students to advocate for their needs.

Setting academic goals is the first phase of self-regulated learning. Irrespective of the model proposed by leading researchers such as Barry Zimmerman, self-regulated learning always begins with a goal-planning phase. Goal setting is an essential component for growth and development in our students for several reasons:

Goal setting can be done at any age-as long as it is age appropriate. Teaching the skill of goal setting coupled with reflecting and revising goals can give students the self-regulated learning tools for a growth mindset toward academic development.

With students as young as kindergarten, more scaffolding is needed. At the beginning of each day, students can select an emoji or picture that represents some action from a predetermined list of possible options. If teaching virtually, students can do this at the beginning of the session. If teaching in person, students can perhaps tape their goal to their desk or table area or perhaps a chart displayed in the classroom. The class can spend a few moments discussing goals and what actions they can do to achieve those goals. Teachers can invite other students to make suggestions for their peers. At the end of the day, allow students to rate themselves with stars and to think about how they could do things differently for the next day.

Upper Elementary and Middle School

For students who are slightly older and able to write, an excellent way to develop the habit of creating, planning, and reflecting on goals can be done through the use of short-term daily goals using sticky notes. At the beginning of the day, students take a few minutes to imagine some task, behavior, or skill they want to focus their intentions on for that specific day. Let the students keep the notes somewhere visible, so they can refer back to the goal throughout the day. Include class conversations with either a partner, a small group, or the whole class at the beginning and end of the day. Focus on the achievement of the goal, but suggest growth mindset strategies to focus on the wins as well as necessary changes for further improvement.

What do you think about the choices in goals for the week? (Were they realistic and appropriate? Were they the most needed for growth at this time?)

How did you progress toward your goals? (Did you have clear, actionable steps?)

What were some of the wins for the week?

What are some ways you can continue to improve on your development of these goals?

Once students have more advanced writing skills, it may be useful for them to keep a chart or table of their goals in a logbook. Students record in the morning, not only the goals but an action plan, and then reflect on strategies for improvement at the end of the day. At the end of each week, allow students time to reflect on their goals for the next week with structured prompts such as the following:

While a logbook is functional, it can be a more motivating experience to allow students to engage in creativity and personalization. Allow them to have fun with the process and create a goal journey map. They identify a goal, which is the end of the map. They also identify different benchmarks or steps to complete along the path or journey toward that goal. Students then have a visual representation of the progress of their journey.

High School

For high school students, l use a reflection sheet after each unit or chapter to create a regular habit of revisiting goals. Ask students the following questions:

What are some areas that you can improve upon? What are some areas that need more attention or focus? What could you do differently?

What specific and concrete actions can you do?

How can you advocate for yourself? In other words, how can your teacher, your peers, or others guide you toward your goal?

What were the wins for this chapter or unit? In other words, what things did you do well or what areas did you improve?

I always begin new units with an independent work day or two. During this time, the students are working on their reading skills, while I conference with their classmates independently.

Goal setting can help with classroom management and academic performance. It allows students to become more aware of expectations and concrete methods to achieve an outcome. It scaffolds the process, making it more manageable. With goal setting that is reflective and iterative, students establish a growth mindset as they engage in monitoring of their progress and reflecting on it as outlined by Zimmerman and Dale Schunk.

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Encouraging students to set goals for themselves-the first phase of self-regulated learning-helps them develop a growth mindset.

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brain science

This post is written by Charrell Coleman, author, blog content creator, educator, presenter of Student Engagement and Executive Functioning Matters, book junkie, self help/care enthusiast, mother & calligraphist. You can follow her on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @heartucator. Check out her blog at teachyourheartoutcon.com/blog.

Have you ever wondered why students with learning or behavior issues in school perform better in some classes, poorly in others and inconsistent in others? Typically if this is the case in elementary school for a student, it only worsens by secondary level.

Executive function profiles are not equally problematic in different settings. Research shows that students with developmental executive function weakness generally require far greater adult supervision than their developing peers across grade levels. (Barkley, 1997, 2006). Therefore these students need strategies that move them to the front of the class. We want to assure these students are not left behind!

Skills that help students with organization, homework completion, time management, and impulse control are executive functioning skills. Although the ultimate goal is for students to learn how to complete tasks independently, teaching and modeling strategies will help students move towards independence rather than forcing them to use skills they don't yet have.

7 strategies for students who struggle with executive functioning

Giving students an "artificial frontal lobe" is almost like giving the brain a booster or a head start in the learning process. Consider these strategies as adding artificial flavoring to make it just the right taste of learning!

Give one-on -one instruction after group or whole group lesson

Provide guided practice as you teach the lesson

Start homework in class so that students can ask any questions. During this time, the teacher will demonstrate the expectation of the homework task.

Use a project planning form for long term projects

Sit with students to plan out time projected for each task-

Post visual reminders in students' immediate sight, whether it is on their desk, on the wall, or the board

This includes writing strategies, reading strategies, math formulas.

Social Mentoring: A trained adult provides the students with severe executive deficits with an adult or more socially skilled peer for specific periods of the day to serve as their social coach.

Be clear about when tasks are due by listing dates on the school's LMS and class page.

At the beginning of each month, have students write dates on a monthly calendar of any assessment or due date you will require

Teach the material to the whole group/small group, pause to discuss, allowing collaboration and discussion to emphasize the importance of students' voice

Have a visual representation of the material you may be teaching on the board or an anchor chart when possible

When reading stories or novels, have an auditory version for students to follow along if needed (Learning Ally, TeacherTube, Youtube, SOAR, or any other resources.

Check to see if websites have an immersive reader feature

When teaching vocabulary, have students act out the words using the pantomime game or play Win Lose or Draw for student engagement. Follow up with a writing activity as an application exercise.

Build student comprehension of a text read aloud to the class by stopping at every page or two to have fast-paced role-playing, discuss the critical plots for element story elements of that story, and also have students discuss with a partner or partners

Provide students with comprehension questions to the answer before they read the question and then stop to explicitly discuss the answers and questions as a group or as a whole

Have students track how much time it takes them to complete a task completely undisturbed by using a timer or an app like RescueTime, then write their start and finish time. (This means multitasking is off the table.)

Model pre-reading strategies. For example, read an article from Newsela, your local newspaper, etc. Afterward, organize and summarize information by using a KWL chart.

Explicitly model the writing process using expert, proficient, and novice-level writing samples.

Use the HEAR strategy to organize and sequence students' thoughts while writing.

You might hear students say things like, "I can't keep all my thoughts in my head" or " everything you're saying is just too much, and it makes my head hurt." These are signs of memory overload.

Here are a few valuable tools:

Encourage students to use sticky notes to remember tasks in each class to avoid memory overload by the end of the day. Transfer this information to one centralized place before the midpoint in their day if possible.

Use apps like Forest to avoid distractions while working on a task.

Break tasks into smaller tasks. For example, when writing, have students start with the pre-write process. Pause and conference with students before beginning the planning and outlining process.

Use rubrics and checklists in all writing tasks for a visual. Now turn these rubrics or checklists into your grading rubric as a time saver!

The stronger your working memory, the less your brain has to work. This can make room for more brain power when encountering new challenges. Russell Barkley calls our working memory our brain's GPS.

Use guided oral reading practice exercises. Many students with executive function skills find reading boring and laborious.

Use writing templates, math templates, reading diagrams throughout the year.

Present new skills in a spiraling manner. Keep reviewing skills.

Do role-playing and demonstrations of class rules once a week.

Kiss your brain with consistency! The brain loves predictability!

When students enter your learning space, always have a calendar with upcoming assessments and due dates of an assigned task.

Set aside the same day each week to plan out the week on their digital or paper calendar (including students' extracurricular activities and family events). This will look different for each student. I create a Google Calendar for the class and share it with them to edit their calendars. Students add their extracurricular and family events to this calendar.

At the beginning of the year, develop a homework and project turn-in (this includes where things are physically turned in). Try to stick to this and not tweak this too much. Keep the same routines so that students know where to find things.

Try to arrange for your test to be on a specific day of the week if possible. From a school-wide approach, this looks like :

Have the schedule for the day printed on the board when students walk in each day

Develop classroom-wide organizational systems such as English items on blue paper, Math items on white paper, reading on lavender paper

Keep binder dividers in sync with color coding and in a specific order school-wide.

Use the same heading for papers school-wide. i.e. Decide if students need a Name, Date, Class Sec, and Topic and whether this should be on the left or right side of the paper.

Perform binder checks so that students know that the organization of the binder is essential.

Open up class with check-ins. Take time to ask each student how they are Arriving at class. I created my own set of emojipresssions, google slides and use online resources.

While students are working on a task, play calming music with interactive backgrounds on a projection board when possible help to set the mood for learning and settles the nervous system

Practice simple meditation. It is one of the most effective ways to access the use of your executive functions. This helps students who need assistance with self-awareness and stabilizes the nervous system. Calm App and Headspace App have many features for the classroom.

Use mindfulness techniques. You can find yoga and tai chi quick exercises on YouTube when you notice students need to self-regulate.

Allow Brain Breaks. Students enjoy having dance parties to rejuvenate the dendrites in the brain. GoNoodle has a variety to choose from.

Allow students to share in your mistakes and challenges. Say aloud to them that you have made a mistake and are frustrated. (For example: "Girls and boys, I have no idea why I keep spelling that word incorrectly. This frustrates me. Are there any ideas on how I can help myself break this cycle?" Start the discussion about how you handled the situation and how you could have handled the situation differently.) Students will begin to view you as a person who is just human and gain tremendous respect for you. This also creates a safe space for students to make your flaws transparent to them!

What strategies do you use to help students who struggle with executive functioning? Share in a comment below!

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7 strategies for students who struggle with executive functioning

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Executive functioning helps students get tasks done and work through their day. Here's how you can support students who struggle. This post is written by

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Executive functioning in the educational setting is often used synonymously with skills associated with focus and organization. While this can be true in some circumstances, executive functioning skills are defined as "the mental processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully." ( Harvard University) In order to find success with these skills, it is important to have the tools to filter distractions, prioritize tasks, set and achieve goals, and regulate impulses. The complexity of executive functioning and the interconnectedness of the associated soft skills are essential for academic achievement.

As educators, we can integrate practices and strategies that support our students with their cognition around their executive functioning to build their own personal toolkits. The resources provided here are intended to be tailored and utilized as stepping stones to do just that.

Need a fun way to check in with your students each day? Incorporating a daily self check-in can take the guesswork out of how your students arrive to class and give an immediate sense of who may need more support (e.g., individual check-in, energy break) with regulation prior to academic instruction. These check-ins can also provide more information about trends you are seeing for all students in order to respond more proactively to the whole group.

Utilize the template provided to create your daily self check-ins. Older students also love

Resource #2: Shareable Classroom Management Plan

Concrete classroom routines and procedures can save students who struggle with executive functioning time and mental energy.

Having an explicit classroom management plan, with clear guidance for routines and procedures shared with students and families and then directly taught and practiced, allows students to understand what is expected of them rather than trying to figure it out for themselves. Post the most used procedures and routines around the room and refer to them often during necessary activities.

Organizational Note Catcher for Strategic Studying

Studying is a strategic process that can be supported and directly taught. By creating note-catchers that act as study guides, you can prioritize essential learning to be used to practice prior to an assessment.

Attached is a template organizational note catcher. Here are some tips on utilizing the template in your classroom:

Prior to a unit or lesson, provide students with key topics, vocabulary words, or essential questions generated on the left. Color coding the paper also supports organizational efforts and the location of key materials.

As instruction is provided, students write their answers in the notes column on the right.

Prior to an assessment, provide class time for students to practice studying with their note-catchers. Students can fold the paper in half individually or with a partner. They should work to provide all the information they can about the topic outlined on the left. From there, they can highlight the information on the right that they still need to learn for further review. Having students practice with a partner and individually using their note catcher can give them options at home, which is a great way to incorporate parent involvement!

Resource #4: Discrete Highlights for Key Takeaways

A misconception about executive functioning can be that it is hard for a student to focus. The actual concern, however, is the student is focusing on ALL of the information rather than utilizing cues such as tone, body language, and repetition to attune to the key takeaways of the lesson. By incorporating and teaching discrete highlights such as starring information, adding a sound prior to a key idea, or adding a takeaways slide, you can begin cueing students to focus on these concepts.

A helpful hint is pointing out the non-discrete cue you use when you get to these discrete highlights. Such as, "my voice slows down when I get to this slide because this information is important." Over time you may scaffold these highlights with practice lessons for students to begin identifying the non-discrete cues for themselves. Utilize the discrete highlights provided for your next lesson.

Resource #5: Post-It Note Agenda

For some students, it can be difficult to transition from one task to another without getting distracted. When this happens, students may get lost in where they are supposed to be and what they need to do. Utilizing 'post-it notes' with your daily agenda can support students in getting back on track with the lesson.

Highlight key activities throughout your lesson and create checklist agendas (resource template below). Creating them online allows you to copy and paste your lesson plan directly, saving time and energy. Just place a piece of tape on the back after printing and provide them for students who need extra support.

Resource #6: Executive Function Educator Checklist

Supporting executive functioning in the classroom does not have to be a huge lift for educators. Often small teacher choices can support many students who exhibit need. The EF checklist provides quick adjustments educators can make proactively or in the moment.

It is also helpful to involve the student when using these moves. Checking in with them can help them identify what works and does not work for them as they age, and this ultimately helps them build their confidence and ability to advocate for themselves.

Citations

Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University

Understood

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Executive functioning in the educational setting is often used synonymously with skills associated with focus and organization. While this can be true in some circumstances, executive functioning skills are defined as "the mental processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully."

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Simple classroom strategies can assist students with deficits in executive function skills like time management and active listening.

©Shutterstock/T. L. Furrer

Executive function is an umbrella term in neuroscience to describe the neurological processes involving mental control and self-regulation. Executive functions control and regulate cognitive and social behaviors like controlling impulses, paying attention, remembering information, planning and organizing time and materials, and responding appropriately to social situations and stressful situations.

Experts believe executive function is regulated by the frontal lobe of the brain-the prefrontal cortex. Because humans are born with brains that are not fully developed, children are not born with these skills, but they have the potential to develop them.

Some students do not develop executive functions to the same degree as their peers. For these students with deficits, additional support in the classroom may improve their development of executive function.

Offering Teaching Support

Addressing a deficit requires understanding the type of deficiency the student faces. If a student lacks knowledge, he or she does not know what to do or how to do a task. For example, if students lack the ability to regulate their impulses to speak while others are talking, the behavior of active listening should be explicitly taught by identifying examples of active listening. Educators might also create a chart with what it looks and sounds like when students are engaging in active listening.

A student may know what to do to complete a task, but may have trouble knowing when and how to apply the appropriate skills. For a student with this type of deficit, the teacher may confirm that he or she has all the required materials to complete a task. The teacher could provide a checklist with the necessary materials. For older students, the teacher could ask the students to generate the list and then gather the appropriate materials.

Metacognition: Another strategy for addressing deficits in executive function is using metacognitive language. For example, with a younger student, articulating the challenge could be useful. "I see that you are missing a pencil. You will need a pencil to complete the assignment. Where could you find one in the classroom?"

Displaying the steps or questions that students could ask themselves in the classroom is also helpful to promote independence with a skill. Students can repeat directions to a partner and then have a volunteer repeat the direction for the whole class. This process takes less than a minute but allows additional time for auditory processing and repetition for any students who may need it.

Time management: Posting schedules can be a useful tool in developing time management skills. A classroom schedule outlines the entire day and prepares students for what's coming next. An activity schedule breaks down a block of time into smaller chunks and outlines how each period will be used and in what order activities will be presented. These schedules are commonly placed in spots where every student can refer to them during the day.

Long-term assignments can be particularly challenging for students with deficits in executive function. One way to address this issue is by directly teaching students how to map out larger projects and break them down into smaller, more manageable pieces. Use a calendar to determine when each smaller assignment will need to be finished, and place the smaller benchmark goals on the calendar.

Review before new learning begins: Provide opportunities for students to review previous learning. This review may be a quick oral presentation, or teachers can pair students and have them share what they remember from the previous day.

A review might also take the form of a mind map or concept map created in small groups. Concept maps are useful graphic organizers for note taking, comparing/contrasting, and writing. Graphic organizers can be particularly helpful for students with executive function deficits because organizing thoughts can be as difficult as organizing time and materials.

Teacher interaction: Teacher behavior is also influential in supporting students who may have deficits in executive function. Teachers should check in frequently with students who are known to have deficits and provide discrete support when needed. In addition, having a caring demeanor and using positive reinforcement with students with deficits can positively affect their school experience.

Offering Environmental Support

Post a daily schedule. Clear and consistent routines and procedures offer structure to students.

Provide visual supports such as posters with problem-solving steps or routines, and color-coded schedules and folders. Consider highlighting key words and ideas in texts.

Minimize clutter and create clearly defined areas in the classroom.

Environmental support means creating a space where children can thrive. Some easy ways to help students improve executive function include:

Potential for Growth

Executive function takes time to fully develop, and it develops at different rates in different children. The prefrontal cortex of the human brain is constantly growing and changing in young children as well as adolescents. Because of the human brain's plasticity and enormous capacity for learning, it is possible to improve the executive functions of students with deficits through classroom strategies and support.

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Helping Students Develop Executive Function Skills

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Simple classroom strategies can assist students with deficits in executive function skills like time management and active listening.

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Executive function refers to skills that help us focus, plan, prioritize, work toward goals, self-regulate behaviors and emotions, adapt to new and unexpected situations, and ultimately engage in abstract thinking and planning. Just as a principal conductor would do for an orchestra, executive functions supervise and coordinate a multitude of cognitive, behavioral, and emotional tasks.

Executive functions in childhood are, by default, challenging. That's because, although our executive function skills begin to develop in the first year of life, they are not fully developed until early adulthood.

Executive function in children

As with other developmental milestones, there is some normal variability in the time at which children reach executive function milestones. But some children experience greater-than-normal challenges or delays related to their executive function skills.

In some children, executive function issues present as trouble with impulse control, tantrums, and difficulty in self-regulating emotions. For others, challenges with school organization, time management, and remembering instructions are more visible. Adolescents who struggle with executive function often have a very difficult time reaching independence and making plans for the future.

Contrary to what we tend to think, executive functioning does not refer to a single ability, and executive functioning skills do not develop in a linear progression. The major components of executive functions include inhibitory control (the ability to control impulses); working memory (a type of short-term memory that involves temporarily storing and manipulating information); and cognitive flexibility, or shifting (the ability to switch between thinking about different topics). Each of these skills develops at different rates, with windows of growth and opportunity for intervention.

Executive function skills can be substantially fostered or hindered by environmental factors including early childhood stress, family structure, and educational opportunities. Fortunately, this means these skills are extremely malleable and amenable to improvement. Evidence-based interventions have been rigorously studied and have shown that children's executive functions can be boosted following structured educational, neuropsychological, and socioemotional programs.

Promising interventions: Cognitive training, neurofeedback, and physical activity

Interventions targeting executive functions in children have exponentially increased in the last years. There is evidence of some benefit, which can vary depending on the child's cognitive characteristics (such as language, memory, or intellectual functioning), family functioning, and underlying medical or psychological conditions.

Perhaps the most widely known interventions are those using computerized programs, such as Cogmed cognitive training, or neurofeedback, such as Mightier. These child-friendly interventions consist of relatively intensive training (for example, several sessions per week for five to 15 weeks) of specific executive functions, such as working memory or impulse control. There are consistent data backing up the use of these interventions. But critics question whether these improvements generalize to support improved executive functions in daily life.

There is strong evidence that certain school curriculums improve executive function in young children, particularly those using a Tools of the Mind approach. This educational approach involves a focus on teaching self-regulatory and socioemotional skills through dramatic play and cooperative learning. In these classrooms, children learn skills such as taking turns, active listening, and developing creative ways of problem-solving.

Interventions involving physical activity (such as aerobic exercise or yoga practice), as well as organized sports activities (such as soccer or basketball) and martial arts benefit the development of executive skills, as they require children to hold rules and strategies in mind, adapt flexibly to others' actions, and monitor their own performance and behavior. Physical activity is also critical for getting blood (and therefore oxygen) flowing to the brain and for emotional well-being, which are in turn essential for children's executive function development.

Promising intervention: Mindfulness

As we learn more about what improves executive functions, we also realize that stress is one thing that "freezes" children's ability to apply executive functions appropriately. Chronic stress and anxiety, often due to family, school, or health issues, is one of the biggest risk factors for executive dysfunction throughout the life span, particularly in children, for whom the executive functions that help us to manage stress have not yet matured.

To tackle both stress reduction and executive function improvement at once, mindfulness training seems like an ideal candidate. Mindfulness training involves the practice of bringing one's attention to the present moment, to what we are doing and what we are feeling, without judgement. Mindfulness interventions have been increasingly adapted to children of all ages via simple exercises of breathing, body scanning, gratitude, and kindness towards oneself and others. The emerging data are promising, showing that children who participate in mindfulness programs show less anxiety, greater concentration and memory skills, and handle difficult emotions better.

The take-home message

There is certainly not a one-size-fits-all intervention to improve executive functions in children. Typically developing children, and children with neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, or learning disabilities, may respond very differently to each one of these interventions. Not all of them may be feasible or even appropriate for some children and families.

The best approach is one that considers each child's strengths and vulnerabilities, as well as each individual family's needs and functioning. For example, offering an overly intense computerized training to an already anxious and stressed child may not be the most appropriate option, as it would reduce the time they could have to unwind, exercise, and potentially practice emotional resilience.

Finally, regardless of the intervention, parent-child relationships are key. It is the parents' and the family's constant support, shared experiences, and time spent together enjoying everyday activities like reading books, cooking, or dancing that help scaffold children's self-regulatory skills. These are, undoubtedly, the most effective and lasting executive function foundations.

References
Executive function skills
Interventions shown to aid executive function development in children 4 to 12 years old. Science, August 19, 2011.

Randomized Controlled Trial of Working Memory Intervention in Congenital Heart Disease. The Journal of Pediatrics, December 2020.
Cognitive training/neurofeedback
Adaptive training leads to sustained enhancement of poor working memory in children. Developmental Science, July 2009.

Computerized training of working memory in children with ADHD-a randomized, controlled trial. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, February 2005.

Improving neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with congenital heart disease: protocol for a randomised controlled trial of working memory training. BMJ Open, February 19, 2019.

"RAGE-Control": A Game to Build Emotional Strength. Games for Health Journal, February 2013.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness-Based Program Embedded Within the Existing Curriculum Improves Executive Functioning and Behavior in Young Children: A Waitlist Controlled Trial. Frontiers in Psychology, September 10, 2019.

Relating mindfulness and executive function in children. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, April 2020.

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Executive function in children: Why it matters and how to help - Harvard Health

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Although executive function skills begin to develop in the first year of life, the time at which children reach these milestones varies. Some children experience challenges or delays related to their executive function skills, but these skills can be improved through evidence-based interventions.

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Executive Skills Questionnaire for Adults

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Executive Skills Questionnaire for Adults

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Developing Executive Function With Priority Lists

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How to Optimize Working Memory in the Classroom

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Impulsivity

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Academic Survival Skills Checklist handout

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Organization Challenges- Gabby, 9th Grade

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Visible Thinking is a flexible and systematic research-based conceptual framework, which aims to integrate the development of students' thinking with content learning across subject matters.

Visible Thinking began as an initiative to develop a research-based approach to teaching thinking dispositions. The approach emphasized three core practices: thinking routines, the documentation of student thinking, and reflective professional practice. It was originally developed at Lemshaga Akademi in Sweden as part of the Innovating with Intelligence project, and focused on developing students' thinking dispositions in such areas as truth-seeking, understanding, fairness, and imagination. It has since expanded its focus to include an emphasis on thinking through art and the role of cultural forces and has informed the development of other Project Zero Visible Thinking initiatives, including Artful Thinking, and Cultures of Thinking.

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Visible Thinking is a flexible and systematic research-based conceptual framework, which aims to integrate the development of students' thinking with content learning across subject matters. Visible Thinking began as an initiative to develop a research-based approach to teaching thinking dispositions. The approach emphasized three core practices: thinking routines, the documentation of student thinking, and reflective professional practice.

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Support EF_SR to Engage Today's Learners Choice Board 2024

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Strategies to Support Cognitive Flexibility

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Inhibiting Strategies

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Strategies for Planning and Prioritizing

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Working Memory Strategies

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Children who struggle with executive functioning skills such as organization, planning, time management, and working memory perform much better when they have the assistance of a parent, teacher, or coach to help them apply these skills. This can be problematic when a child has five homework assignments due within two days and can't even figure out how to get started. Unfortunately, personal support is not always available to help children know how, when, and where effectively to use their executive functioning skills.

Fortunately there are a variety of powerful apps and technologies for improving executive functioning in children who may have weak executive functioning skills. While these apps will not transform children who walk around with a messy backpack filled with decaying, month-old lunches into highly organized and efficient people, they provide some support and scaffolding that can enhance children's overall executive functioning. The key is for parents and educators to identify areas of executive weakness and then to find apps that practice and support those skills. The following are five of our favorites for supporting planning, working memory, organization, and time management.

Planning - 30/30

30/30 is an app designed to help users prioritize and track the amount of time they spend on individual tasks or smaller parts of a larger undertaking. The app relies on the idea that individuals are more productive when taking short breaks in between work. Users can program a series of tasks into 30/30, timing how long they spend dedicating effort and moving on to a new task when the app indicates time has expired. Find out more in our . 30/30 app review

Working Memory App - Quizlet

Whether it's for memorizing literary terms or historical figures, flashcards are one of the most helpful learning tools. Quizlet is an app and a website that allows children to create their own digital flashcards so they can learn their terms and definitions. They app is great for studying on the go, while the online version is better for inputting the information. The app even offers mini-games to make the process more engaging. Flashcards can be organized by class and subject, making Quizlet one of the best apps for working memory. See our Quizlet review for all the information.

Organization App - YouNote!

YouNote! is a unique and creative take on traditional note-taking apps. This app allows users to take notes using a variety of different methods, ensuring that learners of all different types can stay organized. Users who benefit from learning visually can take advantage of YouNote!'s ability to take notes using hand-drawn images. For those who learn better from auditory cues, this app also allows users to take voice-recorded notes. Notes can be tagged and sorted for easy access later. This app can be extremely helpful for keeping track of important information from school, home, or the workplace. Discover more in our YouNote! . review

Organization App - Google Calendar

Google Calendar is software available from nearly any computer or mobile device that allows a single user or group of users to create and maintain a digital calendar of events. Keeping track of upcoming assignments, obligations, or important appointments through Google Calendar can help users keep a hectic and busy life organized. The program can be synced across multiple devices or shared with a group to ensure that everyone in the family, class, or workplace can stay organized and on the same page. Find out more in our Google Calendar review .

Time Management App - InClass

For a more academic approach to time management, consider downloading InClass . This scheduling app is geared towards middle-school, high-school, and college-aged students and lets users add class times, professors, homework, and due dates to their calendar. It is also a handy study tool, as it lets users attach recorded content, files, and notes to each reminder, For older kids starting to manage large school work loads, InClass offers an excellent way to help them stay on top of assignments. Check out our for all the details. InClass review

Randy Kulman, Ph.D. is the Founder and President of LearningWorks for Kids http://learningworksforkids.com/ , an educational technology company that specializes in using video games to teach executive-functioning and academic skills. For the past 25 years, Dr. Kulman has also been the Clinical Director and President of South County Child and Family Consultants, a multidisciplinary group of private practitioners that specializes in assessment and interventions for children with learning disorders and attention difficulties.

Additionally, Dr. Kulman is the author of numerous essays on the use of digital technologies for improving executive-functioning skills in children. His current research projects include the development of a parent and teacher scale for assessing executive-functioning skills in children and a large survey study examining how children with ADHD and Autism use popular video games and apps. He is an advisor and occasional writer for Commonsensemedia.org,and also writes columns for Inside ADHD and the . He is the author of two books; South County Independent and Train Your Brain for Success: A Teenager's Guide to Executive Functions Playing Smarter in a Digital World. Dr. Kulman can be contacted at randy@learningworksforkids.com.

In addition to these and other apps, our coaches have dozens of tools and strategies to help support students to improve Executive Function skills.

Click below to learn more!

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5 Must-Have Apps for Improving Executive Functioning in Children

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Children who struggle with executive functioning skills such as organization, planning, time management, and working memory perform much better when they have the assistance of a parent, teacher, or coach to help them apply these skills. This can be problematic when a child has five homework assignments due within two days and can't even figure out how to get started.

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Self-Check Behavior Checklist Maker | Intervention Central

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Prioritizing: A Critical Executive Function

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Lessons that teach students how to prioritize and persevere help develop executive function skills related to achieving long-term goals.

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The twelve executive functioning skills are self-restraint, working memory, emotion control, focus, task initiation, planning/prioritization, organization, time management, defining and achieving goals, flexibility, observation, and stress tolerance.

Research consistently shows that these skills not only help academically but also significantly reduce stress and help students adapt to life changes more fluidly. As students near the end of high school and face the complex college application process, gaps in executive functioning skills can become apparent. To truly thrive in college and beyond, students need to develop and hone their executive functioning skills.

Issues with executive function, called "executive dysfunction," can affect anyone, and can show themselves through a wide spectrum of symptoms, such as:

Difficulty organizing tasks.

Poor time management skills.

Challenges with focusing on tasks.

Trouble following through on tasks from start to finish.

Difficulty remembering details of tasks or instructions.

Problems with making decisions or analyzing information.

Impulsivity or trouble controlling emotions.

At Novella Prep, we concentrate on elevating students' executive functioning skills through a comprehensive approach that can help them reach academic and personal success. Our program allows students to develop healthy study habits that champion hard work, focus, and discipline, preparing them for both academics and life. We take a step-by-step approach to completing tasks and work with students to organize their time, plan tasks more effectively, and encourage them to ask questions when they need clarification.

Contact us today to learn how our Executive Functioning and other Study Skills Programs can help you achieve success in school and beyond.

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What are the 12 executive functioning skills? | Novella Prep

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Learn what the 12 executive functioning skills are and the crucial role they play in your organizational abilities here.

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Executive functioning (EF) is a way of describing how well we manage information and our behavior. EF describes how well the frontal lobe, the last part of the brain to fully develop, is functioning. EF describes "how" we do what "decide" to do. Well developed EF skills are a better indicator of academic and life success than IQ and these skills can be improved in our students if we are purposeful in our instruction. Various models of EF exist but for our purposes we have focused on developing classroom lessons for the eleven skills listed below.

The program of lessons begins with anthat focuses on defining executive functioning skills and establishing the importance of mindset. plays a critical role in how one copes with challenges in life. A growth mindset makes it more likely that one will persevere. We want students to understand that their brains are still developing and therefore it is possible to change their brain for the better. Possessing a growth mindset is essential to EF skill-building.

The program of lessons ends with a linking executive functioning skills to the greater theme of becoming a more resilient individual. Resilience describes the ability of individuals to recover from difficulties. Resilient people tap into their strengths and support systems to overcome challenges and work through problems. Developing executive functioning skills makes a person more resilient.

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Executive functioning (EF) is a way of describing how well we manage information and our behavior. EF describes how well the frontal lobe, the last part of the brain to fully develop, is functioning....

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Combining simple exercises with math instruction can help ensure that elementary school students remember these lessons.

If you were to walk by my classroom at 9:01 a.m., you might see my math students out of their seats, moving their arms around and doing squats. It's not because I'm trading in math time for aerobics. My third-grade students are warming up for their hour of math instruction.

Each move has a purpose and is integrated with the content we're learning. Sometimes the movements act as a review; other times they're a preview of what's ahead. Regardless, the moves my students make are meant to help math concepts stick.

Why Movement?

In their book The Kinesthetic Classroom, Traci Lengel and Mike Kuczala cite studies that show us how learning certain concepts through movement is efficient and long-lasting.

Movement gives learning experiences something fresh and new, which the brain likes. This novelty helps keep the attention of the students, making their learning efficient. It's been my experience over years of using movement in math class that even those students who are timid and reluctant to participate at first are nevertheless paying attention and are interested in what's going on around them. Their brains are still activated.

Movement, although considered an art form, is an ideal example of hands-on learning. Generally, the teacher asks students to listen and look at math examples. By adding movement, students can involve themselves with the learning in a more concrete way. The brain likes that. The more active the body is in learning, according to The Kinesthetic Classroom, the more connections the brain can make with the content.

The brain also likes repetition and practice, which forms and strengthens neural pathways in the brain, which helps concepts move more quickly from short-term to long-term memory. The key to using movement in the classroom, regardless of the subject matter, is consistency. That's why my math students do the math moves every day.

Practice Math Vocabulary With Movement

So much of math instruction is learning and mastering vocabulary. Parallel lines, isosceles triangle, rotations, 180 degrees: Students can learn all of these terms and more through movement. Here's an example warm-up sequence we do to get ready for math class.

First, my students start with what we call "isosceles triangle," or "mountain" in yoga terminology: We spread our feet about two feet apart, firmly planted on the floor. Then, we take a moment to trace the three sides of the triangle with our hands. We start at the top point (our belly button) and move down one side, across the base, and up the third side.

Then it's time for some butterfly "symmetry" breaths. While we move our arms out and up, we notice what about our body makes us symmetrical. After the second deep breath in, we pause with our hands over our head and stretch to one side, becoming asymmetrical, and then to the other side before bringing our arms back down.

Next is a shoulder stretch. We move one arm straight out in front of us and across our body. Then, with our other arm we bend our elbow and make a perpendicular intersection with our forearms. I look around and see who needs a little adjustment, telling the students that paying attention to precision is an important part of math.

Then I ask, "What are some other ways to describe our arms?"

As this becomes routine day after day, the students recognize the terms and say them with me. We often add more movement, depending on what we're learning or what our bodies need.

If the kids are having a hard time with parallel versus perpendicular, we'll run through a series of arm movements to show the difference. If they have a little extra energy, we get it out with some 180 degree jumps (followed by a few more symmetry breaths to get back to calm).

Moving Past Vocabulary Into Content

Not only can you practice math vocabulary with movement, but also you can reinforce content learning. My favorite activity to practice with my third-grade students is skip counting as a way to prepare for multiplication.

Students come to my classroom knowing how to skip count by 2s, 5s, and 10s, but just as important and helpful is being able to skip count by other numbers as well. I love focusing on 4s and 6s.

For the 4s, we hold four fingers up in both hands and then do slow, controlled "high knees," bringing one knee at a time up to touch our four fingers: "4, 8, 12, 16 . . . ," all the way up to 48.

Then, it's time for the 6s squats. As we squat down, we count by 6: "6, 12, 18 . . . ," holding up fingers to show which multiple we are on, all the way to 72.

Giving students this additional, whole-body experience to practice these facts using movement and rhythm has truly helped the kids memorize them.

In addition, students learn how to correctly move with a simple dance sequence involving a side step and a jump, chanting, "Over, and up! Over, and up!"

And we ease any confusion between area and perimeter when we chant the two words in rhythm while moving our hands to show the space that area covers versus drawing the perimeter with our fingertips.

The Social and Emotional Connection

There's a huge social and emotional benefit to this five-minute whole-body math warm-up as well. With these math moves, students are able to wake up their minds, get their jitters out, and prepare their bodies for calm and focused work.

Also, teachers are always looking for ways to build community in the classroom, and movement can certainly do that. As students get up, move, and interact with the content, they're doing something together. Activity and interaction within the classroom creates a unique community.

Do all kids participate all the time? No. This is an important aspect to consider when teaching through the lens of social and emotional learning, or in this case, social-emotional artistic learning. Instead, the emphasis is on encouraging students to participate at their level of comfort and physical ability. Sometimes this means that students will remain sitting; other times they may just look on.

With consistency, all students find ways to participate in the movements, which brings a new sense of joy to the classroom. The smiles, the smirks, and the laughs all help the students' learning to stick and add a positive vibe to the classroom.

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Reinforcing Elementary Math Lessons With Movement

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Combining simple exercises with math instruction can help ensure that elementary school students remember these lessons.